It's supposed to be simple
by AnimeAngel81
Summary: Sakura has become an accomplished Kunoichi, friend that her comrades can have faith in, and a beautiful young woman. What else could she possibly need. Kakasaku
1. wasted time

I don't own Naruto...but if I told you I did would you believe me?

A cooling breeze swept over the training grounds tugging cherry blossoms up into the clear blue sky. Sakura was thankful for that breeze. She closed her eyes softly enjoying the moment of peace for a split second before jumping onto the next nearby branch. Crouching low so not to be seen, she stayed silent listening for her attacker. "Getting to hot for you?" slowly she let out a deep sigh while rolling he eyes in a very dramatic way. "How the hell do you do that?" Turning around quickly she came face to face with the silver haired man, mask or not she could tell he was smirking. Kakashi let out a muffled laugh at Sakura's expense. "If you hot when can take a break for lunch." She wasn't sure how he did it..four straight hours of training with her and he looked cool as a cucumber. It was only May but that still didn't stop summer from deciding it was coming early. Damn near 90 degrees out and not a cloud in the sky. 'Thank god for the spring breeze.' she thought. "A break...ARE YOU KIDDING ME!" Kakashi let out another muffled laugh before jumping from the branch to the ground below with ease. "I know I know." he said while lazily swatting his hand in her direction. " It IS getting pretty muggy out hear" he said thoughtfully.

Sakura jumped down from the branch landing directly behind him, and immediately after started to pull her short hair off of her neck. She hated feeling sticky. Hands behind her head she slouched back a bit and stuck her tongue out. She felt like she would melt if she didn't get something cool to drink soon. " Come-on lets eat" he said while walking away from her. Sakura looked at him as though he had three heads. "EAT are you crazy? I could drink Kohona river right now and STILL want more." Kakashi kept walking despite her dramatic views. "Well.. when your done drinking the Village's entire water supply find me so we can eat." Letting out a snort she removed her hands from the back of her head letting the tangled sweaty strands of hair fall back down on her neck. Standing their for a moment she quickly ran up beside him. "I'll just settle on a tall glass of water instead of the entire river." she giggled.

Walking side by side in the direct path of the sun made Sakura wish the Restaurant was closer to the training grounds. She never realized how far it really was before. In the five years that she had been training with Tsunade she had gotten stronger and more confident in her abilities. Especially after she passed the Jounin exam. Only Tsunade and Kakashi were the only ones to really acknowledge it. Naruto was ALWAYS busy training 'that boy will never give up' she giggled quietly at the thought. And as for Sauske, well he was never quite the same when he was brought back to the village, colder, quieter. Sakura rubbed the goose bumps from her arms..the first time all day she felt chilled. "Yo" Sakura spun around to see Kakashi standing at the entrance of the restaurant behind her. Kakashi laughed out load at the face Sakura was making. She looked as though she had been caught stealing, eyes wide and her jaw dropped. "To busy daydreaming to remember your thirst?" Kakashi chuckled. Letting out a giggle Sakura slouched a bit in posture. " Guess I was in my own world their for a minute." she said while scratching the back of her head. Looking at Kakashi she could see the amused look in his eye and rode it off walking passed him into the restaurant.

Sitting down at a near by table she waved a waitress over. "what would you like?" the girl asked. "a BIG glass of water, right away if it's not to much of a bother." Sakura noted that the waitress couldn't have been more the twelve years old. Pretty young to have a job. stress lines formed on her forehead as she thought about it.

"What's with you today?" Sakura looked toward Kakashi who was peeking at her from behind an orange colored book. "hn. what do you mean?" she look lazily at him. _Thump. _the sound of the glass being placed in front of Sakura broke off Kakashi as she downed the water and quickly asked for another. When the waitress moved away from the table to retrieve another he continued. " weeeell, you keep on going into your own world today...something on your mind?" book still in hand. Sakura reached out her hand and placed it on the 'pornography' as she put it. pulling it down to the table as he let it go. She watched his eye give her a death glare and smirked a bit. Slowly she closed the cover and set it nicely next to her on the bench. Relieved that Sakura didn't tare it into a million pieces as she did the last copy he had, he let out a grateful sigh but was still tense at the idea of it happening again. "calm down, I promise I wont hurt your precious book." she said while flopping her hands at him. "..." Kakashi eyed her up and down, unsure of the situation. Calmly he said "just keep your hand on top of the table where I can see them." Giggling a bit she rolled her eyes and placed the palms of her hands on the cool surface of the table. "hears your water miss" _Thump "_are you ready to order now?"

After a few hours of eating and harmless banter back and fourth the two exited the restaurant. The sun was still high but clouds had moved in making it feel ten times cooler. "Thanks for lunch." Sakura stated while nudging Kakashi with her elbow with enough force to make him miss a step. Kakashi regained his footing and nudged back enough to make her teeter over the sidewalk and almost fall into the street. Standing straight once again she huffed and tackled him to the ground giggling all the while. Finding himself pinned to the ground by a VERY strong kunoichi Kakashi thrush his whole body forward making Sakura jump a bit and soon found herself pinned to the ground. As she struggled to be realised on lookers on the street watched with amusement. But when Kakashi heard and elderly woman say "Aww I remember when my husband and I played like that when we were young." he froze.

Sakura didn't hear the woman but did notice how Kakashi stopped breathing for a second before removing himself from her. 'shit' clearing his throat he held his hand out to her to help her up. "I need to get going, I wasted enough of the day already." and just like that he vanished. Sakura stood their a moment confusion written all over her face. So they were acting like little kids, they always played around like that...since when did she become a waste of time?


	2. Cats and tea

Special Thanks to

Darkened memories, Flame gazer, and Sweet assassin for reviewing. glad you guys liked the first chappie

Chapter 2

Saukra walked slowly down the street toward her house. Kicking an offensive rock that stood in her path. _"I wasted enough of the day already." _Why did that bother her? 'he didn't mean the way it sounded...did he?'

Glancing up she saw her house up ahead and a familiar figure sitting on the stoop. "Naruto?" "Hey you long time no see!" Naruto quickly walked up to Sakura to give a warm hug but stopped half way seeing the look on her face. "What the hell, you look like someone ran over your cat." "..."

"umm...did someone run over your cat?" Sakura gave him a disapproving look and shook her head "Naruto I don't have a cat.." Scratching the back of his head he gave a thoughtful look toward Sakura.

She knew he was worried. "I'm just a bit tired and hot." a half smile appeared on his face. She could be tired and it was still very warm out..but that's not it. it's something else. "Your not fooling anyone! Come on Sakura..I'm your friend you can talk to me you know." his pleading eyes grew wide and bright, it reminded Sakura of a small child begging for candy. "what happens when you don't give a small child candy when he asks for it?" Naruto's puppy dog look immediately was replaced by a look of pure confusion. "huh?"

Waving her hand at him she walked past him towards her front door. "nothing thinking out loud I suppose...wanna come in, I need a shower but your welcome to stay and have some iced tea with me." Sakura's true smile had veered it's head. Naruto cheesed at it they both walked up the stairs to her apartment.

Ruffling her pink strands in a fluffy towel with one hand, and checking her messages with another, Sakura's eye's darted back and forth looking for the blond man that came up with her. "you have two messages" the mechanical voice on the machine really knew how to give her a headache.

beep Sakura it's your mother..why haven't you called me, I have this- She quickly deleted the message and took a deep breath of relief. "message deleted"

beep Sakura it's your mother again Iknowyoudeletedthatfirstmessegeand- Scrambling to push delete once again she dropped her towel from her head before she had to hear another word. "Message deleted."

"Trying to avoid your mother I see." Looking up she found the man she had lost a few minutes ago. An evil smile spread across her face. "She's driving me crazy" picking up the discarded towel and tossing it to a near my chair she joined Naruto on the balcony. " She keeps calling and telling me about men she meets and wants me to date." bending down Sakura placed her elbows on the railing of the balcony and held her head up with the palms of her hands. Naruto laughed out loud, Sakura knew he thought it was hilarious that someone like her needed help with dating. One swift wack on the head with her fist stopped his outburst of laughter but it did nothing for the stifled giggles. "It's not funny in the least."

After a few minutes of listening to Naruto try and stifle the laughter he finally settled down. Looking out on the excellent view of Konoha, She certainly got her self a nice place he thought. peering over at her he watched her a moment as she fiddled with her thumbs. She always did that when something bothered her. He knew she wasn't going to start the conversation.

"well what's up?" "hm." A smirk rose on his face, she heard him. letting out a deep sigh she let it out. " I think Kakashi thinks I'm a waste of time..." didn't even look at him just kept on fiddling with her thumbs. Naruto's eye brows deepened in to thought. "why do you say that you two are pretty close aren't cha?" her arms flew up into the air in esaperation. " I don't know we were having a good time..at least i though we were then all of a sudden he makes the comment, I wasted enough of the day already. and PUFF he was gone. " Naruto couldn't help it he let out another larger then life laugh. "NARUTO!" He could almost see the steam billowing from her ears.

Wiping a tear from his eye he desperately tried to once again stifle his laughter. If she kept this up his sides would most defiantly split. "I'm sorry Sakura-chan." Holding his hand in front of his moth he tried to make his laughter less obvious.

Watching Naruto try so hard to be a an ear to listen to her past it's braking point, she couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. It was silly to think about. Wiping another tear from his eye Naruto placed his hand on Sakura's sholder "Sakura..kakashi isn't the same when your not around. He's almost like a kid when he's around you."

Sakura's bright smile faded away slowly. "I bring out the kid in him..." she didn't like that, was she so kiddish that she made other feel kiddish? Naruto had seen that look before on Hinata, when he said something she didn't like. That was the look of disappointment, he knew it very well.

"Hey now, what did I say?" he held out his arms to her and she gladly took the embrace. "What ever I said I'm sorry...I really am..I swear." raising her face to meet his with his finger, he looked directly in her eyes.

"Look Kakashi is Kakashi, if he didn't WANT to spend time with you he wouldn't. maybe he just had somethin' to do" Sakura nodded and stepped back. She wasn't crying but the tears were begging to fall. "Why don't you ask him about it, I'm sure it's nothing." She stared down at her bare feet she sighed. "yeah, I'll talk to him...I'd hate to loose a friend and not know why." Naruto rolled his eyes "okay okay now your over reacting, but if you do loose a friend I can buy you that cat" thwack "NO CATS!"

Sakura giggled "...ready for that tea?"


	3. The mission and the ulcer

Wow you guys are so cool. I'm happy your all enjoying the story thus far. hugs

Chapter 3

Kakashi sat on the edge of his roof basting in the sun. Truthfully his body wanted to find a cooler place but his mind was too preoccupied to do so. 'Sakura...' had he actually thought of her as more then a friend? "No, the woman on the street was just mistaken." If someone had been listening they most certainly would have thought he was nuts talking to himself.

Squeezing his visible eye shut to push unwanted thoughts away he pinched his thumb and pointer finger on the bridge of his nose.

The sun was finally setting on this desolate day, the horizon looked as though it was frying as the sun slowly made it's way down. Kakashi watched the red orange blue and ...'pink' "Damn it can't even watch the friggin sun set anymore"

A sigh escaped his lips as he rose from where he sat. Standing their a moment still watching the sun he noticed a presence from behind him. "Genma?" He felt him walk closer toward the edge were Kakashi stood. "Not thinking of jumping are we?" Smirk evident on the older Jounin's face. "Depends...why are you here?" Genma chuckled a bit before putting his hands in his pockets and adjusting the senbon in his mouth with his tounge.

"Tsunade..she wants to see you in her office." Kakashi's visible eye still fixed on the dissipating sun, closed. "Now?" "She said right away so, yeah now." Kakashi turned his head to finally glance toward Genma. Slouching lazily he shrugged his shoulders at his fellow nin. "I suppose."

'What the hell does she want know' he thought. Tsunade had been running Kakashi rampant the last few weeks and truthfully he had hoped that today could be a REAL day off. 'just as well since I can't get my mind to relax anyway' he thought.

* * *

Entering Tsunade's office he stood silently waiting for her to acknowledge he was there. He watched as she tried desperately to unbury herself from the mounds of paper work sitting on and around her desk. Tsunade reached the top of the scattered paper work blowing her hair out of her face with frustration.

Collecting her composure after making eye contact with the lazy looking ninja before her, she sat back down. "Ah, Kakashi, that was quick." Tsunade pushed the offencive stacks away from her direct view. "I know I told you could have the entire day off but somethings come up."

Kakashi stood silent trying not to roll his eyes. "As you know we've been at peace with Iwa village for awhile now...but..as of late we've had more then a few reports that clam some of the Rock nin's have started a type of revolt." Tsunade waved her hand across the stacks of papers the show EXACTLY what she meant "Seems they don't agree with the treaty with Konoha, and plan to wage war."

Kakashi cleared his already dry throat "Is the new Tsuchikage apart of this 'revolt'?" "I'm not sure." Tsunade folded her fingers together in front of her to think a moment. "If he is you can bet more then half of the village will follow him into battle." she stated plainly. "I'm sending you and a team of six to verify these reports. More then likely they will be headed down the border of waterfall country and grass country."

Kakashi swallowed hard. He knew this would become another war. He wasn't exactly looking forward to it either. He took a deep breath "When do we leave?" "First thing in the morning, here are you papers...your dismissed." Taking the forms from her he was gone before she could blink.

* * *

"Damn it!" Jumping form roof top to roof top Kakashi took a look at his forms. "At least I don't have to worry about people who are unreliable." Tsunade gave him some of the best for this recognise missison. "Asuma..." he could always count on him.

"YO!" a deep but worried voice came from behind knocking Kakashi from his thoughts of the up coming mission. Turning his head he saw Naruto quickly catching up to him. Kakashi stopped.

"Naruto." "Yosh! What the hell is going on asshole." Naruto was strangely calm for a beginning sentence like that. He hadn't spoke to Kakashi like that since team 7 first began. " Naruto, I don't have time for this right now, what ever it is it will have to wait." Turning to leave he was jerked back by the shoulders. Two very large hands pressed down on Kakashi as if to say 'screw your no time'

Kakashi arched his brow before turning his head slightly toward Naruto.

"This had better be important." Kakashi was running low on patience.

"Sure I call being a total prick to your friend important."

"Naruto, what the hell are you talking about?"

Naruto let his hands loose from Kakashi then made a hand gesture to sit, Kakashi obliged.

"Look I don't know what happened today with Sakura but she was really upset, and if that's the way you treat her then maybe you should just stay the hell away from her." His voice was still so calm it was almost creepy.

Kakashi let out a deep sigh. "I almost forgot.."

Standing up quickly he patted the young man on the shoulders. "You really are a good friend Naruto...Sakura is lucky to have someone like you she can talk to."

Kakashi smiled his best smile and jumped from the roof landing on the street below.

Looking up at the confused look on Naruto's face he said " Thank you" then ran off in the direction of Sakura's appartment.

Naruto stood looking down at the dust that Kakashi left behind. "Maaan I know I'm gonna get an ulcer from all of this crap!"


	4. Peace offerings

Estelle Stafford - Ha you found me out I have no plot (**_Evil laugh) _**I'm really just wingin it so to speak Eventually a plot will produce I promise.

Chapter 4

Sakura was startled awake by the sound of footsteps on hard wood. She jumped up quickly eyes darting left to right tring to concentrate on the sound. Suddenly the footsteps stopped. She clutched her stark white sheets in her hands. 'Maybe I was imagining it.'

Listening closely she edged her knees toward the end of her bed. The footsteps started down the hall toward her room. 'Shit! No kunai or anything, why the hell did I have to get them sharpened today of all days. Shit!'

Searching the room for anything she could use for a weapon. The door creaked open slowly. Sakura took a deep breath, clutching the sheets tighter and bringing them up to her chest. The door opened a touch more. Sakura held her breath in then jumped from the bed to a crouching posion behind the door ready to pounce.

The door swung open and a figure stepped through. Sakura launched herself on top of the intruder clinging to it's back. The intruder swung around to get her off and landed with a crash on the edge of the bed.

Sliding off and landing on the floor. Sakura raised her white knuckles and let it fly. She blinked, the contact she made was into the palm of a hand instead of a face like she had hoped.

Looking down she saw a mess of silver hair. "Kakashi?" She was utterly shocked. Quickly gathering herself off of him she stood mouth open eyes wide. "God, way to give a girl a heart attack!"

Suddenly she realized she was half naked wearing nothing but a long tee-shirt. She grabbed the now wrinkled sheet from the bed to cover herself but was cut short of doing so. Kakashi's hand grabbed the sheet from her pulling it away. "Kakashi stop I need that to..." She stopped Kakashi's eyes seemed different the usual, almost darker.

"Kakashi?" Standing to his feet He rolled up the sheet and throw it the other side of the small room. He never took his eyes off of her. Sakura couldn't stop the heat rising to her cheeks. Slowly he walked toward her. Sakura backed up until she hit the wall.

"Kakashi..." He was so close now she could feel the heat coming off of him. She watched as he reached his fingers up to tuck them under his mask. Sakura didn't know whether she was afraid or excited. She almost felt disappointed when he took his hand away, but found new found faith when he picked up hers.

Gently he raised her hand to the top of his mask. Sakura closed her eyes preparing herself for this. "Do you want these left overs?" she heard him whisper.

"huh?"

"I said do you want these left overs?"

"What the hell?" Sakura's eyes flew open only to see the ceiling in her living room. She flew up off the couch to see Kakashi standing at the open door to her fridge. Kakashi peered over his shoulder at her. "you okay?" Sakura was dumbfounded. Shaking his head lightly he turned back to the refrigerator. She stared at him, blush rising lightly on her cheeks while he tinkered in her near empty fridge, hearing the clinking of dishes touching as he moved them around.

"You know you should really clean your fridge out." Beginning to come to her senses she nodded slightly.

Kakashi closed the refrigerator door and walked into the living room were Sakura was having a mental battle. Plopping himself on her couch he watched her mentally argue with herself.

He couldn't help but smirk at her, her eyes were closed tightly, brows knitted together, fingers grasping her hair, and hunched over just enough to look slightly painful.

"In our own world again I see." Sakura's eyes shot open. "K- Kakashi, what are you doing here?"

"I brought you something." He pointed toward the end table beside her. Sakura quickly pulled the fingers from her hair and looked to where he was pointing. Sitting their was a medium sized white box. Sakura still felt a touch numb when she picked it up and opened it to see four sticks of Syrup coated Anko dumplings.

The corner of her moth tried to lift into a half smile but she couldn't muster it. Kakashi blinked and raised his brow. She loved those, somethings up?

'Is she still angry about this afternoon?' "Sakura?"

Sakura snapped her head toward Kakashi. "Uh, yeah.. Th-thanks." The fake smile on her face was too obvious. "Sakura, about this morning.."

"This morning? Oh yeah that!" Sakura waved her hand freely. "Don't worry about it, no big deal." Fake laugh replaced the fake smile. Kakashi looked down at his lap.

"Sakura, I talked to Naruto. He said you were pretty upset." When he didn't hear anything from her he looked up. She was gone.

"Sakura?"

"On the balcony." she called.

He took a deep breath and stood slowly to join her.

reaching the door frame he stopped short. Her back was to him. "Look the dumplings were kind of a peace offering for what happened and-"

"Is that the only reason your here?" Her voice was soft he almost couldn't hear her.

"No." Sakura shook slightly, much like her dream when she wasn't sure if she was afraid or excited, But she still kept her back to him.

"What other reason do you have." The suspense was killing her, the dream was still fresh in her mind. She wasn't sure what it meant but she did know she liked it.

Kakashi took a slow stride to stand directly behind her, hands in his pockets and bend over her neck to whisper in her ear.

"I'm leaving. I think I'll be gone awhile and I wanted to say good-bye." Sakura's eye's narrowed as she turned her whole body to face him.

"That's it! GHA!" She flew her hands in the air and stormed passed him yelling the whole way.

"You have a mission, and you came to tell me about it! Jeez Kakashi!" Slamming her bed room door shut he could hear her ranting by herself.

Kakashi was confused "Women, I'll never understand them." he mumbled as he walked toward the sounds of one very pissed off woman. A glaze of sweat started to form on Kakashi's forehead. He knew being too close to an angry woman was the definition of trouble. Like the ocean, they would draw out only to come back a riptide. Knocking gently on Sakura's bedroom door he uneasily waited for her to answer. None came.

"Sakura, Please let me explain."

The door opened a crack letting him know it was alright to come in. Sakura was leaning against the wall, arms folded in fount of her. She did not look happy.

Kakashi stood still expecting an attack. "Explain what, that you'll be gone for a few weeks. Big deal. You act as thou you might not come back at all." she was so nonchalant about it Kakashi began to relax.

"And what prey tell did you want me to say?"

She blinked, he watched as the blood rushed into her entire face. "umm..ah" It's all you could come up with.

He shook his head slightly and walked closer. The feeling in the room switched from anger to a mixture of confusion and embarrassment very quickly. "Sakura, I'm leaving in the morning for an S ranked mission that could result in war with Iwa. I'm not sure how long it will take, but I guessing it will be longer then just a 'few weeks'. I Just didn't want to leave things like they were before I left."

Sakura's eyes lowered to her feet, she watched as her toes wiggled up and down. She didn't know how to respond this kind of news. Especially after she just acted like a twelve year old. Kakashi raised his hand to cup her chin and force her to look at him.

"You've been more then a good friend to this old man Sakura." She could see the smile in his eye as he spoke. "I couldn't have us feeling uncomfortable with each other for so long."

"...I understand." Kakashi couldn't stop him self from starring into her eyes. They looked so deep, so soothing. 'This girl..this woman...'

Blinking he broke the spell she involuntarily had over him. Dropping his hands to shove them into his pockets he turned away from her to walk away. Sakura couldn't stand it, she ran up behind him to embrace him in a backwards hug. Kakashi took his hand out of his pocket and placed it on her arm that was now wrapped tightly around him.

Sighing he asked. "Will you write?"

"Any chance I get...I promise." With that being said he disappeared from her grasp. The warmth was gone, and would be gone for awhile. Dropping her head down to see her toes once again, she held in a sharp breath. It almost hurt. "Kakashi.."


End file.
